Today’s dad in the #40Days40Dads campaign is humor blogger Travis Ross, who writes the Simple Man’s Survival Guide. If I have daughters that are anything like Travis’, it sounds like there will be a lot of tears in my future. Also, I had no idea about black poop.
#16: Travis Ross
Travis is the father of a 3-year-old daughter and a 5-year-old daughter.
What was the moment when you first felt like a father?
When I saw their first poop was black. I feel like that’s a secret that only parents know.
What’s your favorite part about being a father?
I love reading to them and making up voices for the characters, and for now they like hearing them. I also really like watching their personalities develop. They are both such unique people.
What’s the hardest part about being a father?
All of the crying. I think little girls are way more emotional than little boys. They will just randomly burst into tears and yell, “Daddy, I love you!” Did I mention there is a lot of crying?
What’s the dumbest/funniest thing that your kid has cried about or fought with you over?
The 3-year-old loves bringing her little chair over and pretending to do the dishes. A few nights ago I had a heated discussion with her about how it was time for bed and that she couldn’t do the dishes, and she yelled at me that she was going to do the dishes. I’m going to remind her of this in about five years.
What are you most proud of having taught/shared with your kids or what are you most looking forward to teaching/sharing with them?
My wife and I are both big readers, and we’ve both really worked to make sure that we read to them regularly. The 5-year-old has also become a big superhero fan. I have one of those posters with all of the Marvel characters on it, and she knows the names and a little history about 1/4 of them. Impressive for a 5-year-old.
What’s your favorite thing about your kids?
They run up to me every day and give me a big hug after work and are generally just so excited to see me. They want to tell me everything they did and all about their day and spend time with me. It’s going to be a dark day when they grow out of this.
If you could go back in time and give yourself a piece of advice when you first became a father, what would you say?
Enjoy the time with them and be there for them. Work can wait and short-term problems will pass. Live in the moment.
If you’re a father or you know a father who would like to share his story, send him to this link to answer the questions. Stay tuned for another dad’s crib notes tomorrow!
